


Amongst The Reeds

by Stargazer19



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Angst, Ghost Stories AU, Ghosts, Horror, Hurt/Comfort, Optional Bad End, ZADF, ZaGf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:22:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22960117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stargazer19/pseuds/Stargazer19
Summary: Rumors have been circulating of a ghost in the nearby town. Long, black hair curtains her face and she’s as grey as a dense fog. If you are unfortunate enough to encounter her, you may end up drowned in the lake. Of course, that means Dib needs to check the place out. And he’ll be dragging Gaz and Zim along for the ride.Based on the anime Ghost Stories (Episode 14) and Esthyradler’s Ghost Stories AU on Tumblr. Beta read by Esthyradler.
Comments: 33
Kudos: 128





	1. The Hand in The Photo

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Esthyradler](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Esthyradler).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Esthyradler for helping me write this! I am not a fan of the show so much as I am a fan of the Invader Zim Fandom. Most of my knowledge of the characters is from fanworks. They are a huge help in making sure my writing makes sense with the show. 
> 
> If you like this, please check out their comic of the [ Ghost Stories AU ](https://esthyradler.tumblr.com/post/190329874844/yes-i-watched-ghost-stories-again-and-i-got-an) that my story is based on. Their work is amazing!

If you asked Zim how he wanted to spend his Saturday, he would instantly tell you that leaving his base at the crack of dawn to go on a _ridiculous_ ghost hunt _at a lake_ was the worst way to spend it. The park they went to was an hour away from their town, and they spent so long looking for the right place that the sun was now completely out. Zim watched with one brow raised as Dib flitted among the reeds. The clicks of the camera were starting to grate on his nerves. “Why are we here again?” The alien huffed as Dib turned and took a picture of him, before walking along the old dock. “I told you! Many residents of this area have testified to seeing a ghost here! They call her the Grey Lady.” Zim rolled his eyes. “How original.” His friend continued undeterred.

“With so many witnesses to this ghost, there has to be evidence of her here! I just know we’ll find it.” Zim half-heartedly snapped a photo with his own camera. Apparently, it was some ‘special’ camera that could photograph the supernatural. Just a stupid hunk of junk, really. He glared at the lake and backed up another couple of steps. It didn’t matter that he was several feet from it. He had no idea where Gir was, and that meant anything was possible. “Rephrase, earth monkey. Why am _I_ here? It’s bad enough you drag me to all your dumb paranormal hunts, but why bring me to one by _water_?” When the Dib-stink said they were coming out here, he did not mention a lake. If he did, he could’ve at least brought his paste.

His friend’s big head popped up from behind the tall reeds. “The lake has been part of this town for over a century. Many people came here to enjoy its serenity, but with so many ‘ghost’ sightings cropping up about the place, most residents stopped coming. Since you’re an alien, I figured you might attract the paranormal. Besides, you don’t need to be near the lake. Why don’t you go where Gaz is by the park.” Zim grumbled as Dib went back to photographing the smelly lake.

“Master!” He narrowed his eyes as Gir came running over to him from the lake bed. He must’ve been in the lake because water dripped from him as he ran. “I found a pretty rock!” The little robot shoved a pebble in his face. Zim winced when a drop of water landed on his hand. Okay, now he was mad. “GIR! You are drenched in water, and you’re splashing it on me! Go be a nuisance anywhere else but the lake!” Gir chirped happily as he ran off to look for more things around the bushes at the entrance of the park.

The alien rolled his eyes at how easily the little robot was amused. Now that Gir was accounted for, Zim figured he had nothing better to do but head to the park. Not because he was listening to the earth monkey, but because the area was far from the lake. ‘Dry grass, old wooden tables, and an abundance of bugs. What a great park.’ He huffed as he walked over to where the Dib-sister sat. Gaz snapped a couple of photos of the road but seemed to be enjoying her GameSlave more as she lounged at a picnic table. “So, do you think we’re going to find the ghost?”

How did she know he was there? Not once did Gaz look up from her game. He scoffed as he replied, “I doubt it. Half of these paranormal trips that the Dib-beast takes us on are flukes. There isn’t any stupid ghost haunting this area. It’s probably just another cause of chemicals being dumped in the water.” Right as he finished his sentence, he shivered. It felt like some viscous sludge had crawled over him for a flash of a second. As he scoured the area for the origin of the strange feeling, he noticed Dib walking towards them.

“Alright! I think I have enough photos! Let’s go home so I can get these developed!” Finally! The alien whistled for Gir to come back. Zim wanted to leave this smelly place as quickly as possible. It felt like there was some sort of dark _miasma_ in the air. He shook his head. ‘I’m probably overthinking it.’ But as the denial echoed in his mind, he shuddered. The last thing he wanted was to get involved with a ghost.

* * *

Dib couldn’t get home fast enough. He’d taken all three of their cameras and ran straight for his room. Curtains closed. Lights off. Safelight on. Dib laughed as he soaked the first photo in the developer. It was so routine for him, he had the steps memorized. Soak the photo in the developer, move the tray around to shake it, stuff it in the stop bath, and finally place it in the fixer. He did it one at a time until he had a large stack of fully developed photos to analyze. Dib quickly packed all of his equipment away before laying on his bed to go over the photos.

None seemed special, though. Lake. Person. Rock. “Ugh,” he groaned as he grabbed the next photo. The signs all pointed to a ghost being at the lake! It would drive him nuts if nothing showed up. Dib brushed his hands through his hair as he set aside a photo of Gir waving at him. One glance at the newly formed stack beside him, and he could feel his enthusiasm drain. So many photos already but no ghost. There were only a few more photos left too. “I was so sure she was real…” He grabbed the next photo, recognizing it as the one he took of Zim. It was actually a nice photo. He’d managed to catch him mid-eye-roll.

He paused. “How’d he do that with his hand?” Zim’s left hand had reached around him to rest gently on his shoulder. Except… “Oh, my god. Oh my god!” He slammed the door open. “WE GOT PROOF!” He cackled as he launched himself down the stairs. His sister paused the game she and Zim were playing so they could face him.

“Seriously?” Dib shoved the photo in her face. “Look! Right there!” She slapped his hand away. Dib immediately sat down next to Zim as he held it out for him to see. “I can’t believe we did it! You really did bring us luck!” The alien raised a brow in confusion. “What are you talking about?” He peered over Dib’s shoulder. “Remember I told you you might attract the paranormal? Well, you did! Check this out! That hand wasn’t there when I took the picture!” His friend scoffed. “LIES! I’m sure it was your sister! There is no ghost!”

He froze, though, when he remembered that Gaz was nowhere near him. She narrowed her eyes at him. “I was over by the opposite side of the lake. There is no way that was me, Zim.”Gaz watched as Zim’s expression became haunted. Dib exchanged a look with Gaz before focusing on his friend again. “Are you okay-?” “Burn it.” Dib blinked at the quick response. “Zim demands that you burn it.” He pushed himself to his feet and walked over to the front entrance. “Wait, Zim! Where are you going?” The alien didn’t look back as he opened the door. “Zim is going home. I have a delicate experiment that I need to work on. See you worms tomorrow.”

The door closed, leaving Dib and Gaz alone on the couch. Gaz put her arm out to prevent her brother from going after him. “Don’t worry about it. He’ll be fine. I’d also need a moment to myself if that was me.” She gestured to Zim’s unattended controller. “Substitute Zim as my player two? I already started this round, and I can’t stop it.” Dib looked one last time at the door, before setting the picture down and grabbing the controller. “You’re right. Zim’s just in shock right now. He’ll feel better tomorrow after he rests.”


	2. Concerns and Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zim can't shake this awful feeling away. Sleep doesn't help, and he can't get that ghost out of his mind. Why does he feel worse now? What's wrong with him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is based on a comic series by Esthyradler on [ Tumblr ](https://esthyradler.tumblr.com/). If you haven't read it yet and you enjoy this story, please check it out! They're a great artist, and I really love their fan works. They've been a great help with this story already. Based on the Ghost Stories AU by @esthyradler.

After arriving back home, Zim tried to spend some time constructing a laser gun, but the uncomfortable feeling in his squeedlyspooch prevented him from getting any work done. Not even Gir's nonsense could distract him long enough from the feeling. Exhausted from the tense buzzing of anxiety, and the encroaching paranoia, Zim shoved himself from his lab table. "Why won't this feeling just GO AWAY!"

Gir looked up at him from the puzzle he was putting together. "Is Master upset? I know! I'll go make some waffles! That will cheer you up!" Zim smacked his face with his hands. "I don't need waffles." Gir saluted him before running off to the kitchen. "Sometimes, Zim wonders why he even tries." He rubbed his eyes with his hands. "Computer." The AI echoed through the room. "What is it this time, master?" The alien glared at the infernal thing. "Take me to my resting chamber. I do not want to be disturbed unless it's an emergency."

A scanner dropped from the ceiling. It scanned Zim for a couple of seconds before disappearing. "You? Want to sleep? I didn't find anything wrong with you in my diagnostic scan except a slight decrease in temperature and a high level of cortisol." Zim huffed in annoyance. "Of course, there is nothing wrong with the Great and Powerful Zim! Stop questioning me and take me to my chambers!"

The floor opened up below him, and he landed right on his bed. "Fine. Anything else? I'm going to enjoy this moment of peace and quiet." He didn't have the energy to keep arguing with him. "No." 

The silence was deafening. Even though he was exhausted, Zim could not fall asleep. He tossed and turned, hoping that sleep would come as long as he was in the right spot. Thirty minutes rolled by. Then an hour. All he could feel was a constricting pain in his chest. Another hour passed, and he could feel an itchy tingling on his right shoulder. He rubbed it as he sat up in bed. So much for resting.

Zim unwillingly pushes himself out of bed. "Computer. Search for 'Grey Lady' on the internet." A screen appeared in his room. "Well, it was nice while it lasted. Are you referring to that ghost you encountered earlier?" The little alien nodded slowly. His computer was so surprised by the lack of a quip, he brought up the search engine as requested. Computer pulled up article after article for his Master to read. Every article he read mentioned the same boring details that the human worm baby spoke of earlier. Nothing seemed to stand out as important to Zim. "Woman drowned looking for lost engagement ring?" The title seemed promising, but the article itself was sparse of details.

"Ugh. This is getting me nowhere.' He spun on his heel intent on trying to sleep again when a pulse of pain shot through his heart. He stumbled. "Master? Maybe you should sit? You're looking a tad pale." Zim disregarded his computer as he raised his lekku. There was definitely something here. He could sense it. "Computer. Contact Dib. Now." Before Computer could even respond, Zim collapsed on the floor.

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM?" Dib paced back and forth as Gaz changed the washcloth on Zim's forehead. Computer had provided her with a bowl of cold, purified water in the hopes it would lower his temperature better than using the AC. 

It didn't matter to the Membrane siblings that it was three in the morning. They had immediately rushed over the second they received the alert. A scanner popped out of the floor. It positioned itself above Zim's prone figure and started running a comprehensive health scan. A section of the wall opened up, allowing for a monitor to display the results of the scan.

"I ran a scan on Master earlier because he was tired. I have compared this scan to my previous one and have found multiple health discrepancies. First, his temperature appears to be fluctuating. It was a couple of degrees lower than standard, nothing extreme, but now my scan shows he is running a fever. He still has high levels of cortisol in his body, resulting in fatigue, headaches, and high blood pressure." 

Dib brushed his hands through his hair. "This doesn't make sense, though! Did he really just collapse because he was  _ stressed _ ? He stresses out all the time, but Zim has never had a reaction like this before. And temperature fluctuations aren't a symptom of stress anyway."

The AI interrupted him. "I am unaware of what is currently ailing him, but the scan also shows inflammation and bruising on his shoulder. Maybe you can make better sense of it because I sure can't." 

Robotic hands manifested from the wall, gently unbuttoning the top couple of buttons on Zim's purple pajama shirt. It adjusted the clothing enough for Dib and Gaz to see the dark, hand-shaped bruise. "Is that what I think it is?" Dib covered his mouth in horror. Gaz's eyes widened as she connected the dots. "Quick! Do you have the photo?"

That snapped him out of his growing panic. He pulled the photo out of his pocket and held it out for them to see. Computer looked over their shoulders with a robotic eye. The bruise was in the exact spot of the ghostly hand in the photo. 


	3. The Hideous New Recruit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Although Dib still has skool, he's not gonna let that stop him from finding out what's wrong with Zim. At this point, he's desperate to figure out how to fix this. Desperate enough to ask her for her help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Now that I've gotten the main background out of the way, I'm hoping to continue with the longer chapters like this one. We get a new addition to the Paranormal Squad!
> 
> Thanks to Esthyradler for Beta reading and thanks to you guys for reading this as well! Let me know what you think so far! I love reading comments. If you want to see the part of the comic that I'm currently on, this [ Link ]()

Awareness returned slowly to Dib. His eyes felt heavy and sticky as he stretched from where he had fallen asleep against Zim’s bed. “Augh, that was a bad idea. My back hurts like crazy…” The computer had to have been the best helper ever right now. The AI had brought out a chair for each Membrane to use while they watched over Zim. But it seemed like even super-advanced AI’s couldn’t make chairs that were comfortable to sleep in. He leaned back in his seat as he pulled out his phone.  _ 7:32 am. _

“Shoot! I’m going to be late for skool! GAZ!” He looked around the room, but his sister was nowhere to be seen. “Why didn’t she wake me?” He scrambled for his bag. “Computer, would you be able to get me a bowl of cereal or something? I’d appreciate it. I need to eat breakfast before I leave.” Dib shouldered his backpack. He quickly walked over Zim to check on him before he left. “Yes, human, I will prepare a bowl of cereal for you on the table. And because you asked so nicely, I won’t put milk in it so that it’s not soggy by the time you actually get to it.”

Dib nodded and pulled out the portable scanner Computer left out for them. He wanted to check on the Irken one more time before he left. Zim was still pale, but he didn’t seem to be as feverish as he was earlier that morning. As Dib booted up the scanner, the little alien shifted in bed. “Augh, what happened?” Zim mumbled. He slowly sat up, blinking the sleep from his eyes. “Zim! Oh, thank goodness you’re awake!” Dib smiled at him while the scanner ran a check up on Zim. His friend lowered his lekku in confusion before he realized Dib was in his chambers. Then they raised in anger. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM!” Dib almost dropped the scanner from the loud shout in his ears. “Chill, Zim! Computer called us early this morning because you collapsed. We came to check on you.”

Zim sighed quietly, leaning forward slightly to cross his arms over his knees. Even though he just woke up, he still felt drained. But Tallest help him if he willingly showed his exhaustion in front of the pathetic worm baby. A little ping sounded from the device in Dib’s hand, revealing the diagnostic results. “The tests showed no physical injury or any sort of disease. No problems found in the Pak either. His fever is gone, and so are the other symptoms that occurred during the last scan.” The AI summarized for them. Zim stared at Dib in confusion as his friend started going over the results. “Maybe it really is a curse…” His lekku stiffened in fear. If Zim had the strength, he would’ve lunged at the human.

“What do you mean by a curse, Dib-stink?” The human sighed and scratched the back of his head in nervousness. “Well, I don’t know if you saw it, but you have a… handprint bruise on your shoulder. Where the hand is on the photo.” Zim held his gaze for three seconds before he hastily unbuttoned his shirt enough to see the bruise. He ground his teeth in anger as he whipped around and grabbed Dib by the collar of his shirt. “YOU’RE STUPID GHOST HUNT GOT-?!”

The Irken let go of him, immediately doubling over in a fit of painful coughs. Dib winced at the harsh sound. The computer brought out a glass of juice from the wall, using robotic limbs to guide it to Zim’s hands. “Geez, Zim! You’re going to rip your throat if you keep yelling. Anyway, I don’t have a clue why you’re sick. It could be a curse or something else completely.” Zim tiredly glared at Dib as he handed the glass back to his computer. Dib fished the photo out of his pocket and showed it to Zim.

“All we know is that it’s in the same place as the hand in the photo. We’ll figure out how to solve it, though! I’ll keep researching this whenever I get the chance.” Zim scoffed and pointed a claw at the picture. “Didn’t I tell you to burn that?” Dib deflated a little in a mix of guilt and disappointment. “Yes, you did. Fine! If I really can’t think of anything, I’ll try burning it. I’d rather keep it as evidence, but if I have to, I will. I’ve gotta go now, or I’ll be late for skool. Call or text if you need anything, okay? I’ll tell you what we’ve decided to do when we get back.”

Zim huffed but nodded. “The Great Zim feels fine. A stupid curse by a stupid ghost is not enough to bring me down. Mark my words, ghost! This is a futile attempt to weaken me!” Dib deadpanned as Zim shouted at nothing. “Right… I have to go, so I’ll see you later today.” Dib stepped onto the platform, already typing ‘curses’ into the google search bar as he left.

* * *

It felt weird to have skool without Zim. He was so used to the annoying alien distracting him during all of his classes that he couldn’t focus on his work without him. His phone hadn’t gone off either, so hopefully, that meant Zim was doing well. Dib spent most of his day with his nose buried in his phone. He’d found several theories about curses, hauntings, and possession, but that only left him with more questions. Why Zim? Which method was the Grey Lady using? How many of these solutions actually worked? Obviously, psychics were out of the question. Should they try a séance or an exorcism? He still had that ouija board in his closet. He banged his head against his desk in frustration. But how could he know for sure this wasn’t some weird alien sickness? As the final bell ring, he saw his answer walking out of the classroom. Dib rushed to pack his bag so he could catch Tak before she left.

“Tak! Tak, wait up!” The disguised Irken raised a brow in annoyance but stopped for Dib to catch up. “What do you want? And what happened to the runt? I didn’t see him in class today.” Dib motioned for her to follow, and they walked away from the entrance, just enough to not be heard by the other students. “Okay, are there any illnesses Irkens can get that involves fluctuating temperatures, chills, increased stress, and fainting?” Tak flashed him a toothy grin.” Ha! So that’s why the annoyance isn’t here. He got sick!” Dib brushed a hand down his face. “So, is it an alien sickness? You didn’t answer my question.”

She rolled her eyes and started walking away from him. “Nothing that I’ve ever heard of. If you’re done bothering me now, that’d be great.” He growled and ran in front of her, cutting her off. “Not yet. If it’s not an alien sickness, then the only thing I can think of is the paranormal hunt Gaz, Zim, and I went on yesterday. Ever since, Zim has been really sick. As much as I hate to say it, we need your help.” 

Tak stared at him in silence. Then promptly burst into raucous laughter.” I can’t believe it! The runt got himself sick because of a ghost? Hah! Serves him right.” She stepped around Dib as she got her laughs under control. Dib brushed his hands through his hair in annoyance. “Come on! If you help, I’ll let you slap Zim 10 times! I really have no idea if this is something Irken related or paranormal. He collapsed last night, and I’m worried he could die if we don’t figure this out. You’ve gotta help us.” Tak grinned as she thought about his offer. “Well, I like the thought of Zim in trouble, and I guess I could do with some entertainment. Make it 50, and beg on your knees, then we can talk about why I shouldn’t just let him die!”

The human glowered at her before getting on his knees. “Fine. Please, Tak. Help us figure out what’s wrong with Zim.” She smiled as he rose to his feet. “Alright, lowly human. I’ll help. Let me see this haunted photo you said you took. It could be an alien for all you know.” Dib held out the photo for her, and she snatched it from him. Her smirk morphed into a frown as she pointed at something. Dib felt his heart rate pick up at the unsettled look on her face. Did she know what it was? Was it something terrible?

“I thought you said it was just a hand, not… This…” Dib peered over her shoulder. “What?” She shifted her grip on the picture so Dib could get a better glimpse. The photo no longer showed Zim with a hand on his shoulder. Instead, there were two arms lazily wrapped around his neck, one hand resting along his arm and the other across his chest.

Dib paled as he snatched his phone out of his other pocket. “I’m calling Gaz to check up on him right now!” While the phone was ringing, Tak pulled the photo to her again. “He looks terrible in this picture.” Dib glared at her and ripped the photo out of her hand. “This is not the time to be petty, Tak!” The alien chuckled, “There’s always time to be petty.” He bit his lip when the phone went to voicemail. “Darn it. I hope that means she’s already at Zim’s.” Dib stuffed his phone and the picture away securely in his bag before gesturing for Tak to follow. “Come on! We need to get to Zim’s house. Now.”


	4. Storm In The Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dib does more research on the ghost haunting the photograph. He believes he knows how to fix everything and performs a ritual to expel the spirit and save Zim. But will it actually work?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, this one was a doozy! Finally on Spring Break so I'll try my best to update this story once a week. We're getting a little more into the lore now and the reasoning for why the ghost chose Zim. Let me know what you think in the comments and thanks Esthyradler for your help with this chapter and story in general! Based on @esthyradler 's Ghost Stories AU.

Gir smiled as he brought his Master a plate of donuts. He’d been really sleepy lately, but nothing made him feel better than some tasty snacks! As the little robot arrived in Zim’s bedroom, he frowned when he noticed his Master was still asleep. ‘Oh, well. When he wakes up, there will be tasty donuts waiting!’ Gir smiled brightly at the thought and set the plate down on Zim’s bedside table. Task completed, he looked over to the foot of the bed. Mary’s sister unit was sitting with one of the earth game tablets in her hands. Maybe they could play while Master rested?

“Can I watch?” The human grunted in affirmation, and Gir quickly sidled up the side of the bed. He liked having Mary and Gaz over. They made his Master really happy, and the house was always more lively with them around. And sometimes they brought him food! Gir cheered Gaz on as she went on to decimate several opponents in the fighting game she was playing. He was so caught up in her game, he didn’t hear Mary and Tak run in.

“Gaz! Gir! How’s Zim doing?” Mary let go of Tak’s hand and raced over to check on his Master. Gir was startled by Mary’s greeting. He stared at him as he scanned his Master’s vitals. “Uh, why did you bring Tak? Isn’t she more likely to kill Zim than help him?” Kill? Master? Who would do that? He looked over to see who Gaz was referring to. The second Gir blinked, his eyes shifted from blue to red.

“You’re here to kill Master?” Several different missiles and lasers shifted out from his body and locked onto Tak. Wait, she was here for his Master? His eyes turned blue again, and his weapons disappeared back into their respective compartments. He’d seen how people watched over their friend units when they were on TV shows. “How nice! Thanks for visiting Master! I like you!”

Master already had someone watching over him, but more was better! “I’m gonna go eat some tacos. Watch over Master for me, okay lady?” Gir knew he didn’t need to get confirmation. She would look after him while he was gone. Gir decided he’d come back with something else to make Master happy.

* * *

Dib watched Gir walk away. “I’m glad that ended well. I’m surprised he trusted you so easily, Tak.” The disguised Irken rolled her eyes. “That’s why he’s a hunk of junk. No way am I going to be stuck watching over Zim. That’s not my job.” She watched with disinterest as Zim finally woke up. He turned over in bed so he could see his visitors, tiredly glaring at them. “Why did you wake me up, Dib-stink? I was sleeping quite comfortably before your big head started taking up all of the space in my room. And why did you bring Tak with you? You know how much I hate her.”

The human huffed as he put the scanner away. The results showed little change in Zim’s condition. “In regards to your first question, I didn’t wake you up. Gir did. For your other question, I was hoping that she could see what was going on and maybe see if this was something alien-related. That was before I noticed that the picture changed.” Zim’s antennae twitched in confusion. “What do you mean it _changed_?” Gaz walked over as her brother pulled the photo out of his pocket. Their eyes widened at seeing the arms wrapped around Zim’s shoulders.

“Okay, we really need to get this figured out.” Gaz paused her game and slipped it into her jacket pocket. Zim huffed and turned away, so he was lying with his back to his visitors. “Can you figure it out anywhere else? I’m going back to sleep, and I can’t do that if you dumb worm babies are in here. Out.”

Dib took one more look on the scanner and nodded at Tak and Gaz for them to head out. “Let’s go to the lab. We can have Computer help us with our research, and if nothing else works, we can burn the photo there.” They stepped onto the platform and were transported to Zim’s laboratory.

Once the three were inside, the computer manifested chairs for the siblings and the Irken to sit on. Dib immediately rolled over to the computer screen while Gaz pulled her game console back out. Tak just sat down and propped her feet up on the computer console in boredom. “Okay, Computer! I need you to search for articles relating to ghosts and curses. Prioritize anything that mentions possession of objects.”

Dib watched as multiple articles appeared on the screen. “What, no ‘please’? I’m doing _you_ a favor here by giving you access to the lab.” The human sighed at the AI as he started scanning through the first article. “Fine! Thank you for helping. Now, bring up the next article, _please_.”

The two kept going through articles, with Dib writing down notes on anything of importance. It took about two hours, but the novice researcher smiled as he finished the last article. “Okay. So going over these notes, the Grey Lady is actually a Place-Bound Spirit. These spirits normally haunt the place they died and don’t generally bother the living unless they have been offended. Usually, by the victim trespassing on their territory.” Gaz narrowed her eyes as she played on her Game Slave. “That makes sense. Zim probably got targeted because he was annoyed about coming along, remember? He kept insulting everything.”

Tak snorted, “So he did this to himself? How fitting.” Dib shrugged his bag off his shoulders and rifled inside of it. Gaz put her console away, watching as her brother pulled out a sheet of paper, a candle, the photo, and the photo negative. “There was one article in particular that mentioned a young woman drowning in the lake while she was trying to find her ring. I’m pretty sure from her picture and the descriptions from witnesses that she’s the Grey Lady.” Tak spun around in the chair to face Dib’s set up.

The boy quickly sketched out several symbols on the paper, before placing the photo and its negative in the middle. “I think Zim has been so tired lately because she’s draining his life force away. I couldn’t find a way to get rid of it except for this Japanese ritual, so if this doesn’t work, we’re going to have to fix this Zim’s way.” The quiet flick of a match had the candle lit in front of him. He set it on the floor in front of the paper. The youngest Membrane slid out of her chair so she could help if needed.

“Don’t disturb me until after I’m done, okay?” She and Tak exchanged a look of apprehension before nodding in agreement. They watched as Dib took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He folded his pointer fingers and thumbs together while curling the remainder of his hand in a ball. “Ghost photo, what is the truth? Let the imprinted shadow begone! Let the imprinted shadow begone!”

_Zim shifted in bed. Eyes clenching shut in discomfort. His lekku twitched, but he continued sleeping._

A light wind started swirling in the room. Tak looked around in surprise as her hair swayed gently. She cautiously stood up from the chair as she focused her attention back on Dib. Even though the breeze blew around Dib’s coat, the fire on the candle remained still as did the photo and paper. “Let the imprinted shadow begone! Let the imprinted shadow begone!” The gust grew stronger. It whipped through the room, making Gaz and Tak cover the faces with their arms as the wind buffeted them. The chairs rattled, Dib’s bag slid across the ground, but the papers and candle remained calm.

Dib clenched his eyes further as the wind ripped his glasses from his face. He would not lose his concentration like the ghost wanted! “Let the imprinted shadow begone! Let the imprinted shadow begone! Let the imprinted shadow begone!” This had to work. He had to banish the ghost from the picture!

_Zim gasped in pain and shot up into a sitting position. He clutched his pajamas where his chest was, trembling from the loud buzzing that filled the room. He could sense a sliminess in the air from his lekku. His heart was pounding. His lungs felt like they were constricting. What was this agonizing pain?_

“Let the imprinted shadow begone! Let the imprinted shadow begone!” Gaz took a step back as the wind continued to buffet her. It was like there was a storm in the room. She felt herself slowly sliding backward as the gust shifted into a gale. Tak gripped the chair like a lifeline.

_“St-stop! Stop!” Zim gasped as something squeezed his throat. He clawed at the hands choking him, but he couldn’t wrench them away. Whatever was strangling him was too strong for him. He tried to slam his elbow back but whined in fear when it hit nothing.”-Ah! Don’t!” Tears pricked at the corner of his eyes. He futilely clawed at the entity behind him. His struggles began to slow. “Gah, ack! Please!” He could feel himself tiring. Black encroached the edges of his vision. “D-dib… Help…”_

“LET THE IMPRINTED SHADOW BEGONE!” Dib shouted as he was shoved backward from the ritual. He gasped in pain as he landed hard on his back. When he pushed himself to his feet, he scrambled further back as the candle tipped over and set the photo alight. Tak and Gaz pushed themselves against the computer console as they hurriedly distanced themselves from the fire. It burned steadily for a couple of seconds before softly tapering off. The room was quiet as everyone processed what happened. Dib pushed himself to his knees and thanked the computer when it handed him his glasses back. They were cracked, but he could still see. He could see the photo and the negative lying untouched on the floor.


	5. Back Where You Began

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zim won't be able to survive this haunting for much longer. The trio try to figure out a way to appease the ghost and, thus, get it to release it's hold on Zim. Nothing works out like they wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! Welcome everyone to the climax of the story! A couple more chapters to go before this story is officially complete! Thank you, everyone, for reading this story! Thank you for every comment, every kudos, and every bookmark, subscription, and/or mark for later. I had a lot of fun writing these chapters and I can't believe we're almost at the end. Thanks especially to Esthyradler on Tumblr for not only letting me write this story but for also being my Beta reader. I've said it before, but I have not really watched Invader Zim. I got into the series because of the fanworks. They've been an immense help in making sure the characters and writing make sense and are accurate with the show. Also, let me know if you caught something from the last chapter that I explain in her. I want to know if my attempt at subtlety actually worked or not. XD
> 
> [ Comic ](https://esthyradler.tumblr.com/post/190367618139/part-3-zims-getting-worse-the-computer-do-his) page this is based on.

Dib stared in horror at the photo and its negative lying untouched on the floor. “B-but how? That should’ve burned!” He picked them both up. The arms were still wrapped around Zim. The ritual had failed. Suddenly, the room flashed red, and the alarms blared. “INTRUDER ALERT. INTRUDER ALERT. UNIDENTIFIED ENTITY DETECTED IN MASTER’S BEDROOM.”

Tak, Gaz, and Dib shared a wide-eyed look before darting to the platform and heading to Zim’s room. The alarm halted as they entered. The trio gasped at the sight of Zim, lying limply on the bed. His covers were strewn about, and his pillow had fallen to the floor. Although nothing could be seen inside the room, it was freezing. Dib rushed to Zim’s side and flinched at the dark bruising around his neck. His hand shook as he pressed his fingers against the little alien’s wrist. “Oh, thank goodness.” Dib breathily sighed in relief. There was a pulse, albeit weak. “Zim has weakened considerably since his last checkup. His pak can’t keep up with the strain his body is going through.”

Tak released her disguise and felt the air with her lekku. “I’ve never encountered anything like this before. The air feels like I’m walking through sludge. It’s utterly revolting.” She shuddered as she felt the urge to clean the miasma from her lekku. Gaz turned to the computer in anger, slamming her hands against the console. “You are alien super technology, can’t you do anything for him?” She watched as the computer repositioned Zim, so he was lying more comfortably in his bed. “Look… If I can’t find the source, I can’t do much about this…” She turned back to the screen. “Just… Anything… Please…” Dib looked at his sister in shock. He’d never seen her lose her composure like this. The AI waited a moment before responding, “Fine. Fine…” A robotic eye attached to a long wire appeared out of the wall and stopped right above Zim. It scanned him, then disappeared back into the wall.

“Well, you’re right for once. Whatever that entity was, it’s sucking the lifeforce from him. Although the pak does act as life support, it can’t handle this magnitude of drainage. Lifeforce is different from the energy supplied by the pak. Even if Zim was kept in the charging station, his organs would eventually fail, and the pak would short-circuit.” Silence permeated the room as its occupants came to terms with their dire situation.

Dib fixed his glasses in thought as he looked at his notes on the Grey Lady. “I think we should head over to the lake. The article said she drowned looking for her ring. Maybe she’ll leave Zim alone if we find it?” Gaz walked back to the platform. “It’ll be dark soon, so we should hurry.” Tak huffed as she walked over as well. “Just don’t expect me to search in the water. I’ll kill you all if I get wet.” Dib scrunched his brows in determination. “Computer! Contact me if his condition gets worse. Hopefully, this'll be over soon.” The fact the AI agreed without any sarcasm bothered him. The unofficial paranormal investigator took one last look at Zim, breaths shallow and brows furrowed in pain, and activated the platform. They had a ring to find. 

* * *

It felt like forever before they finally arrived at the lake. Tak decided to search near the entrance, while Gaz searched the picnic area, and Dib searched the reeds. Luckily, it was only starting to get dark, so the group still had some light to aid in their search. Dib made a face as he picked through some mud, hoping to catch a glimpse of a ring in the lake bed. He could feel the anxiety in his heart increase the longer he searched without finding it. Half an hour later, he abandoned the section he was at and started searching on the opposite side of the dock. 

Tak grumbled in annoyance as she pushed aside rocks and dirt with her feet. Nothing stood out to her along the road and by the entryway. Her lekku couldn’t sense even the barest trace of the Grey Lady’s aura this far out. She growled as she walked further away from the others to search amongst some bushes. The alien felt like a dooky. She was basically playing in the dirt. Tak, a proud Irken and invader-to-be. Oh Tallest, she had to look so stupid right now. “We’ve been at this for an hour already! Let’s just give it up!” She shouted at the two humans. 

“I’m tired of searching this dooky lake for a dooky ring that we’ll never find! Don’t you have anything else you could do to get rid of that blasted spirit?” Gaz huffed at Tak as she made her way back to the others, but she kinda agreed with her. “I hate to admit it, but she’s right. If the ring is here, we won’t be finding it tonight. It’s already dark, and the buses aren’t going to be running soon.” She stopped Dib before he could protest. “What if the ring has already been found? Maybe her family got the ring after she died, and the Grey Lady didn’t know? Go home, research this some more, and we’ll try again tomorrow.”

Dib sighed. He knew Gaz was right. It was already nighttime, and he wanted to check on Zim again anyway. “Fine. We’ll head home and resume the search in the morning if needed.” The group made their way back to the bus station so they could go home. ‘I just hope Zim can make it till morning.’ 

The ride back was quiet. Dib took a little comfort in knowing that Zim was doing okay since he never heard from the AI. It didn’t alleviate all of his worries, though. They were almost at their bus stop when Dib decided to pull the picture from his pocket and see if anything had changed. Before he could look at it, Tak snatched it out of his hands. “If you keep looking at this dooky picture, you’re going to get anxious again, and I am not putting up with a jittery meat sack in a stupid metal box.” She jumped when Gaz ripped it out of her hands suddenly. The Irken opened her mouth to yell at her but closed it at the unsettled look on Gaz’s face.

“Uh, Dib?” Tak peered over her shoulder to look at the photo. The Grey Lady was visible over Zim’s shoulder, clutching him possessively to her while staring at the camera. Her red eyes shone from behind a curtain of charcoal hair. Dib felt fear grip him as he jumped to his feet and pulled the rope to signal a stop. Their bus stopped a couple of feet from Zim’s house, and the trio raced down the sidewalk. “If the picture changed, then something must’ve happened!” Dib panted as they turned the corner and ran up to Zim’s door. It opened for them automatically.

“Why didn’t you call us?” Gaz shouted at the AI as the group hopped onto the platform and zipped down to Zim’s room. “You asked me to call if his condition worsened. Frankly, it improved while you three were out. Excuse me for following your instructions.” The platform arrived, but they could only stare in horror at the empty bed in the room. Gir crawled out from under the bed and waved happily at them. “Mary! Gaz! Friend! You guys look sweaty. And upset! Are you hungry? I can make waffles!”

Dib ran over and picked the little robot up. “Gir! Where is Zim?” The robot smiled as he said, “With the nice grey lady!” The human dropped the robot in shock. Gaz kneeled in front of Gir as he got back to his feet. “Did you say, ‘nice grey lady?’” He nodded. “She’s been watching over Master for a while now! It was nice of Friend to help out too!” Tak stood beside Gaz. “You moron! That ‘lady’ was the ghost. You mean she’s been here the whole time, and you never said anything?” Gir laughed at her, which only angered her more.

“Gir said bye to the nice lady when you came over to visit! She’s such a good friend to my Master.” Dib slammed his hands on the computer console. “HOW LONG AGO DID ZIM LEAVE?” The others looked at Dib in surprise. “Well, I estimate it was about a half-hour ago. He walked out the door.” At the computer’s response, Dib grabbed Gir and hurried onto the platform. “Gaz! Tak! We need to go now!” They quickly got on and stared as Dib brought them to the Voot Cruiser. “Okay, why are we taking Zim’s ship? What’s going on? You need to actually inform us of your plans.”

Dib brushed off Gaz’s snide remark and focused on Gir. “This is very important. You need to take us to the lake right now. If you don’t, you’ll need to find a new master.” Tak grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. “What’s happening, you stupid human?” Dib took a deep breath as Gir opened up the ship. “Every story about the Grey Lady ends the same way.” He clenched his hands tightly. “Every victim of hers ends up drowned in the lake.”


	6. What Once Was Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Grey Lady has taken control of Zim and is taking him to the lake. The group must race against the clock to find a way to save Zim's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is in fact the epilogue of this story. But there will be one more chapter after this. I want to include both the good and bad ends of this story. This story is based on the Ghost Stories AU by Esthyradler on Tumblr. Please check out their comic if you haven't! Those comics are the reason this story exists in the first place.

Tired eyes cracked open, and Zim slowly propped himself up in bed. His lekku laid limply against his head, his skin was pale, and his eyes were glazed over. He pulled a respirator off of his face and let it drop to the floor. “Uhh, maybe you should lay back down. Do you need me to call Dib or his sister?” The loud voice of his computer rang through the room. Zim continued staring straight ahead. The AI snarked, “Or you can ignore me. Fine then, not like I was actually worried or anything. You’re sitting up and moving. As far as I’m concerned, I was obligated to ask and nothing more.” 

Gir, noticing his master was awake, crawled up the side of the bed, and rested his hand on Zim’s lap. “Yay! Gir is so happy yous feeling better! And the nice lady is helping you sit up! Are you going somewhere? Are you going with the lady?” Hands appeared on Zim’s shoulders, and the Grey Lady loomed out from behind him. She gently pulled him to his feet and steered him towards the platform to leave. Dead eyes continued staring straight ahead as the Grey Lady maneuvered her possession. However, they stopped when Gir stood in front of him.

“Can I come too?” Zim stared blankly at Gir. When no reply came from his master, the little robot redirected his attention to the spirit. She made a motion with her hand to direct him out of the way. Gir’s eyes lit up in understanding, and he stepped out of their path. “Okay, lady! I’ll guard this place well! I’ll make Master happy! You two have fun at the lake!” Obstacle out of their path, the ghost dragged her victim along.

As they ascended to the main room, awareness returned to Zim for a second. He had to lean on his companion as a bout of dizziness struck him. His head felt full of the stuff the Dib-stink called cotton. His mind buzzed with thoughts of nothing and everything. His limbs tingled, his mouth felt dry, his tongue enlarged. Nothing felt right. Before he could even begin to figure out what was going on, he felt a pull on his chest and collapsed to his knees. The platform stopped in the living room, but the Irken stayed where he was, doubled over in pain. “W-what? Hurts…” His lekku twitched, and he raised his heavy eyes up to see a dark figure standing in front of him. “Y-you…” The pain in his chest increased, and he cried out.

Zim’s consciousness faded fast, and he collapsed into the waiting arms of the spirit. After a couple of seconds, Zim stood up again, all semblance of discomfort was gone. And with blank magenta eyes, the alien stood tall and walked out the door.

* * *

When Dib asked Gir to pilot the Voot Cruiser, he thought the robot would be competent enough to drive them without crashing. He placed way too much trust in him. Luckily, the park probably wouldn’t notice the damage too badly, right? Gaz stood next to him. “Thank goodness this place doesn’t have cameras, or Dad would be paying so much to get that fixed.” Tak raised a brow at the ten-foot-long skid mark that the ship had left in the park. A couple of trees had been splintered and knocked over by their crash landing.

“Real smooth landing Gir. I’d say this is the best landing I’ve ever seen you do.” Gir cheered while Gaz scowled at her. “Oh, shut up, Tak. Enough with the snark. We need to see if we can find Zim.” They looked around, but they could see no sign of life in the area. Everything was serene and undisturbed. “Do you think we beat them here?” Tak scoffed and turned to Gir. “Can’t you do anything useful and see if you can track your dooky master?”

Gir laughed and started digging through his head. “I have my piggy! Piggy can find master!” Tak smacked her head with her face and turned away. “Alright, well, I’m going to look around the road. The last place I want to be is anywhere near the water with him around.” She pointed at the smiling robot that was putting on it’s dog costume. “He’d probably find a way to accidentally kill me.”

She made her way down the road. Dib and Gaz exchanged a look before following her. “If she’s bringing Zim here, then we should be able to see them approaching.” As he said that, a shout from Gir made him turn around. There, coming from the opposite way they were walking, was Zim. He looked pale and lifeless as he walked down the dirt road in his purple pajamas. “Zim!” He called out and ran up to him before the others could catch up. He tried to grab him around the shoulders and get him to stop walking, but he was shoved out of the way as Zim was undeterred.

“Zim? Zim, wait! Stop walking!” Dib tried to stand in his way and hold him in place, but he quickly found himself on the ground. “It’s the Grey Lady! She’s must be possessing him or something.” Gaz shouted as she ran forward and cut Zim off. She placed her hands on his chest and tried pushing him back. Her eyes widened when she felt herself sliding backward with him. “Dib! Get your butt over here and help me!” She yelped when Zim lifted an arm and pushed her to the side. He turned from the road and onto the dirt path that led into the park. And to the dock. The two Membrane siblings rushed him. They grabbed him from behind and started pulling back with all their might. However, their feet skidded uselessly against the path, unable to even slow Zim down as he continued walking.

Tak stared in horror at this- this- thing that could so easily control an Irken. The disguised alien was the only one who could see the figure urging Zim forward. She whipped around to see Gir playing with something in his hand. “You stupid SIR Unit! Why aren’t you helping him? Can’t you see she’s going to kill your master?” Gir looked up from his toy and stared at her. “Naw, that’s the nice lady! She won’t hurt him!” Tak rolled her eyes and started thinking of different scenarios in her mind. Maybe one of the monkeys could spray water? Noise from Gir cooing over his toy, made her eyebrow twitch. Focus, Tak. Could pain snap him out? Maybe she could trick Gir into stopping him? Another laugh, made her grab her hair and tear a couple of strands out. She flung them to the ground and growled as she stepped over to him.

She ripped the stupid shiny object from his hand and held it up in the air. Gir tried to jump and grab it from her, but she snagged the hood of his dog costume and held him away from her. “Shut up and stop playing with this thing! I need to concentrate!” The little robot frowned. “Aww, but it’s pretty.”

 ~~ _“My ring…”_~~ Tak jumped when she heard a voice from in front of her. The Grey Lady loomed over her and Gir, eyes centered on the ring in her hand. Tak shakily held it out for her. Her mind screamed for Gir to shut up as the little robot looked up at the spirit with a smile. “Oooohh. She likes it!” When the ghost turned around and walked away, Tak sighed in relief. Her presence made her skin crawl. She watched as the spirit walked past the frozen figure of Zim, and his friends, on the edge of the dock. She faded away as she sunk into the water. The second the last wisp of her disappeared, Zim collapsed to the ground, taking his friends with him.

Dib and Gaz hovered over Zim as his lekku twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes. “Ugh, what happened?” The siblings helped him sit up as he looked around. “Why are we at the smelly lake?” Gaz lightly punched his arm. “Don’t start insulting this place. That’s what got you haunted in the first place.” Her brother let out a relieved chuckle as he hugged his friend. “The lady was going to drown you. She possessed you and was going to make you walk into the lake. We couldn’t stop you.” Any snarky comment died on his lips as Zim took in Dib’s shaking shoulders. “I really thought I was about to watch you die.”

He sighed and placed a clawed hand on Dib’s back. “O-of course, the great Zim wasn’t going to die. I knew that you dumb humans could figure it out.” Dib chuckled as he helped him stand. “Actually, Tak and Gir saved the day.” Zim whipped his head around in surprise and instantly regretted it when he almost went tumbling backward. Luckily, Dib and Gaz were quick to respond and stopped him from falling. He followed their lead as they gently tugged him away from the dock.

“Yes! I meant to do that! I totally wasn’t plotting to douse you with water or zap you with a stun laser or anything.” Gaz gave her a look, and Tak looked away in embarrassment. “A-anyway, can we leave now? I don’t want to be here any longer than I have to. And you still owe me those slaps later! It’s not fun if he’s weak like a stupid worm baby.” She turned on her heel and made her way back to the ship. Gir cheered as he followed along.

After dropping Tak off at her house, and the Voot Cruiser was dropped off at Zim’s base, Dib and Gaz decided to bring Zim to their home instead. “We need to purify the base before you can stay there again.” Dib had reasoned, but the truth was he didn’t want to leave Zim alone. The alien would probably kick them out if he said anything that would imply Zim was ‘weak.’ The Irken only nodded as the siblings, with Gir and Mini moose tagging along, informed him of their decision to bring him to the Membrane house. He was so tired. They could’ve left him on the floor, and he wouldn’t have done anything except lay there. He’d never admit it, but it felt nice to know how much Dib and Gaz cared. They were his friends.

Since it was already late, and their dad was away for the week, Gaz threw a hoodie over Zim before they left. The trip to the Membrane house felt long, but eventually, the group was lying bundled in blankets on Dib’s bed. It was a little awkward, but everyone wanted to stay close to the little alien. Zim, Gaz, Gir, and Mini Moose had been quick to fall asleep. Everyone was exhausted from the events of the past couple of days. However, Dib laid awake for a little while longer. His mind was still racing with the fact that they had almost lost Zim. If they had been a second slower, or if Gir had never played with the ring, or even found it when they were at the lake, Zim would be gone. Panic gripped his heart. Was the curse actually broken? He pulled the photo out of his pocket, careful not to disturb the rest of his sleeping companions.

It was just a standard photo. No arms, or red eyes. No charcoal hair or lady. Just a simple picture of Zim at the lake. And if Zim snatched it from him and ripped it in half when he brought it up the next morning, then good riddance.


	7. What Could've Been

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Gir didn't find hold onto the ring when he found it? What if Zim and the ghost were just a little faster? What if the protagonists didn't save the day? This is what could've been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright. Last chapter of this story. The Bad End of Amongst The Reeds. Thank you, everyone, for reading this story. It was my absolute pleasure to write this. Thanks to Esthyradler for their awesome Ghost Stories AU, and for checking over for my chapters before I posted them. Thank you, everyone, who read this, hit kudos, wrote a comment, subscribed, or bookmarked it. I'm happy that I've entertained you! I hope you all are doing well!

When Dib asked Gir to pilot the Voot Cruiser, he thought the robot would be competent enough to drive them without crashing. He placed way too much trust in him. Luckily, the park probably wouldn’t notice the damage too badly, right? Gaz stood next to him. “Thank goodness this place doesn’t have cameras, or Dad would be paying so much to get that fixed.” Tak raised a brow at the ten-foot-long skid mark that the ship had left in the park. A couple of trees had been splintered and knocked over by their crash landing.

“Real smooth landing Gir. I’d say this is the best landing I’ve ever seen you do.” Gir cheered while Gaz scowled at her. “Oh, shut up, Tak. Enough with the snark. We need to see if we can find Zim.” They looked around, but they could see no sign of life in the area. Everything was serene and undisturbed. “Do you think we beat them here?” Tak scoffed and turned to Gir. “Can’t you do anything useful and see if you can track your dooky master?”

Gir laughed and started digging through his head. “I have my piggy! Piggy can find master!” Tak smacked her head with her face and turned away. “Alright, well, I’m going to look around the road. The last place I want to be is anywhere near the water with him around.” She pointed at the smiling robot that was putting on its dog costume. “He’d probably find a way to accidentally kill me.”

Before she could even begin down the road, she froze. There, walking down the street, was Zim. He looked pale and lifeless as he walked down the dirt road in his purple pajamas. “Zim!” Dib called out and ran up to him before the others could catch up. He tried to grab him around the shoulders and get him to stop walking, but he was shoved out of the way as Zim continued undeterred. Dib hissed as he landed painfully on his arm. When the human pushed himself to his feet, a sharp twinge of pain shot through the limb. He inspected it quickly, noticing several bleeding cuts from landing on stones. Dib wiped the blood off on his coat before he turned back to Zim.

Gaz was trying to push against Zim's chest, but no matter how hard she tried, Zim didn’t slow down. “Dib! Get your butt over here! I need help!” Dib ran over and tried wrapping his arms around Zim’s shoulders. It was hard to pull back, though, when the pressure made his cuts flare in pain. “Zim! Snap out of it, please! You’ve got to wake up!” Gaz looked up a moment as her feet dragged against the dirt. There was no light in Zim’s eyes. No spark of recognition or consciousness or anything that showed he had heard her brother’s plea.

“Zim, I’ll kill you if you die! I’ll bring you back just to kill you if you don’t snap out of it right now!” Gaz hoped that she could somehow wake him. That if Zim heard them, he would fight the possession. She could feel the panic rising in her as they got closer to the dock. “Are you gonna let this ghost kill you? Let her defeat the Almighty and Powerful Zim?” That slowed his pace.

Gaz’s eyes widened as Zim’s lekku twitched. Dib joined in. “The Great Zim would never let a ghost overpower him. You have to fight her!” Tak watched from the sidelines in awe as Zim halted, right at the spot where the ground became wood. She had been trying to formulate a plan while Gir babbled stupidly about some toy of his when she noticed the siblings' plan was working. She left Gir behind as she ran up to them. “Yeah! Didn’t you say you were going to show me how a real Invader worked or something? You can’t rub your stupidity in my face if you’re dead! So show that stupid ghost what an Irken can do!”

Everyone watched as Zim’s claws slowly morphed into a tightly clenched fist. “Fight her, Zim!” Dib watched the Irken with hope in his eyes. The little alien’s eyes were scrunched shut, and he was shaking. His eyes snapped open. None of them saw it coming.

Dib gasped as sharp claws raked through his arm. As he was thrown to the side from the force of the attack. When he looked up, Gaz had also been shoved to the ground opposite him, and Tak was wrestling with Zim using her Pak's legs. “Dammit! You can’t do this!” Her robotic limbs were dug deep into the ground, and she was pushing back against Zim with all her might.

“I owe you this!” She reared back one arm and slapped him hard across the cheek. Zim was unfazed as she did it again and again. “Tak!” Dib held his bleeding arm close to his body as he realized that she had Zim in a standstill. Tak growled as she grabbed both of Zim’s hands and held them away. “I’ll hold him off! Find that stupid ring!”

Gaz started racing through the reeds while using her phone as a flashlight. Dib tried to push himself to his feet, but the blood loss was already making him dizzy. He looked up when he saw Gir walk towards him. “What’s wrong, Mary? You don’t look so good?” Dib looked at him pleadingly. “I need you to see if you can find a ring! Look around this park. Search wherever you haven't been from the last time we were here, and if you find it bring it back. Zim is going to die if we can’t find that ring!” The little robot tilted it’s head curiously.

“A ring? Like a pretty shiny ring?” Dib’s eyes widened. “Yes! Yes, a ring! Have you seen it?” Gir smiled and nodded. “I saw pretty shiny thing last time I was here! It was waaaay down the road, though! I was playing with the shiny and then I dropped it before we had to leave! I’ll go get the shiny now!” The kid watched as Gir playfully ran off towards the road. He looked back at Tak and Zim to see that the former was slowly being pushed back by Zim. Her Pak was letting out little sparks from the strain. “GAZ! FOLLOW GIR! HE KNOWS WHERE THE RING IS!” His sister bolted after the robot.

Tak grunted as she lost another inch to the ghost. She tried to push harder against the dirt with her legs because she knew all would be lost the second her mechanical limbs touched wood. There would be no leverage for her to hold back the possessed Irken. While she tried to formulate another plan in her head, she shivered as the ghost’s miasma increased immensely. _~~“My ring… My ring! My riNG! MY RING! MY RING! MINE! MINE! MINE! YOU CAN’T HAVE WHAT’S MINE!”~~ _Tak gasped as the pressure overwhelmed her. Her grip loosened for a nanosecond, but that was all the advantage the spirit needed. The ghost pushed forward with all her might, and Tak’s mechanical legs bent and gave way. She slammed backward into the wooden dock with a cry.

Dib’s eyes widened in horror as Zim stalked forward, no longer held back by Tak. “ZIM! NO!” The little Irken walked to the edge of the dock. Dib forced himself to his feet, uninjured hand outstretched as he darted onto the dock after Zim. “NO!” He reached the edge right as Zim fell into the lake. He would never forget. He could never forget the screams. The smoke rising from the lake as the alien’s skin burned away from the water. As the echo of a lady’s laughter rang in his ears. As he jumped into the lake after him.

The minutes that followed felt like hours to him. He barely remembered dodging Zim’s flailing arms to grab him. Once he had his arms around Zim, some unknown force tried to drag them down. Just when Dib was almost out of breath, there was the sound of a splash, and the force released them. The two burst out of the lake. “Dib! Over here!” He could barely see through the water droplets coating his glasses, so he swam blindly in the direction of Gaz’s voice. Zim was scarily limp as Gaz ran up to them, once they reached the bank, and dragged Zim onto the ground.

His skin had been completely burned off by the water, inflamed and raw, and his pak was whirring as it worked to try to heal him. The group knelt beside Zim, and Dib was relieved to see that Zim was still breathing. “Dib-human. Gaz-beast. Tak.” Zim’s eyes opened slightly to look at his rescuers. His voice was raspy and weak from swallowing water. “Zim, hold on! We’re gonna get you to the base.” Dib turned to see Gir standing nearby, watching them.

“Gir! Go start the ship!” The robot went running, not even questioning the order. Dib and Gaz shifted so that they were on both sides of Zim and tried to prop him into a sitting position. The second they put pressure on his aching body, the little alien screamed in pain. They all flinched at the sound. “Shoot! He’s so badly injured that the pak’s painkillers aren’t enough to dull the pain. How are we gonna move him?” Dib bit his lip as he looked at his friend. Zim's breath was shallow, and he whimpered softly from the discomfort of lying on his pak.

The group looked up as the Voot Cruiser landed beside them. “Great! Gir brought the ship over! Let’s just pick him up and move him really fast.” Tak said as she hovered over them. “Come one! He needs medical attention now! We can’t stay here any longer.” The siblings nodded and moved to pick Zim up again. When he placed his hand under Zim’s back, he realized something. Zim’s pak was no longer glowing, and the Irken was still. “Zim. No, don’t do this! You can’t do this!” Gaz looked at her brother for a second before putting two fingers to Zim’s neck. She quietly waited for a couple of seconds before pulling her hand away. “He’s gone. We were too late.”

Dib grit his teeth, and tears welled up in his eyes. “He can’t be dead! We can still save him!” Gaz glared at him. Her brother stared in shock as tears also appeared at the corner of her eyes. “He’s gone, Dib! We failed. We couldn’t save him!” Dib didn’t believe her. He couldn’t believe her. He couldn’t admit that Zim was dead. “Maybe we can restart the pak! Please, we’ve gotta do something!”

Tak glared at him. “The pak is delicate technology. With all of the water clogging its systems, it has to be damaged. Even then, living Irkens can only survive for ten minutes without it. It wouldn’t matter if you somehow figured out how to restart Zim’s pak. You wouldn’t be able to fix it in time. Just give it up, Dib. He’s dead. And there’s nothing we can do to change that.”

Dib slumped as he took in their words. Zim really was gone. And they would never get him back. He pounded both of his fists against the ground. “Why did I have to take us on that stupid hunt! This never would’ve happened!” The others looked away as Dib sobbed. “This is my fault. Zim! I’m sorry!”

_“I’m sorry!”_

Dib gasped as he jolted into a sitting position. He looked wildly around him, taking in his surroundings. He was in his room. Not at the lake and not sitting next to Zim’s corpse. Zim! Dib whipped his head around so he could look at the other occupants in his bed. Zim was still sleeping while surrounded by Gaz, Mini Moose, and Gir. None of them had been disturbed by his outburst.

Dib sighed in relief as he watched his friend. “You know it’s considered creepy to watch me sleep, right?” Dib jumped as Zim’s eyes opened. “Sorry, did I wake you?” Zim shook his head. “Zim has been awake for a bit. I was trying to go back to sleep, but then _you_ decided that you wanted to pursue a life as a human pop-up toy. What made you jump like that?”

The human blushed slightly at the jab. “I-uh, I had a nightmare. I dreamt that we were too late and you…” Zim hummed as Dib trailed off. “Well, luckily for you, that dream was fake. How would you survive without the great Zim?” Dib chuckled and looked at him with a weak smile. “I’m glad I don’t know the answer to that.”

The little alien grabbed Dib’s hand and yanked him back down. Dib let out a soft “oof” as he fell back against the bed. “Zim?” He blinked as he was shushed. “Now that you know Zim is fine, you can go back to sleep. You’re even more annoying than usual when you’re tired.” Dib smiled fondly as he got comfortable. Thank goodness it was just a dream.


End file.
